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How to Use a Crimp Tool

Choose a jewelry wire that is appropriate for the materials that you are working with.
The drill holes in the pearls we are using are small so for this piece we will use a finer jewelry wire. To give a more professional look to your jewelry, check out our How to use a crimp cover handy tip.

If you are not confident in the strength of your crimp, you may consider
doing two crimps side by side. If you plan on using a crimp cover to
conceal your crimp, make sure to leave some space between the crimp and the
clasp. Otherwise, when closing the crimp cover, you may end up crimping
your clasp as well.

Note: It is important that you use the right size tool for your crimp tubes. For 1mm crimp tubes (such as SS-CRM9), we recommend the Micro Crimper. For 2mm crimp tubes (such as SS-CRM1, SS-CRM2, SS-CRM10, SS-CRM11, GF-CRM1, GF-CRM2, and GF-CRM3), we recommend the Bead Crimper Tool. For 3mm and 4mm crimp tubes (such as SS-CRM5, SS-CRM12, and SS-CRM13), we recommend using either the Mighty Crimper or Bent Chain Nose Pliers. Finally, for round crimp tubes (SS-CRM4) and twisted crimp tubes (SS-CRM6 and SS-CRM7), we recommend Bent Chain Nose Pliers.

The crimping pliers have two notches or "stations." The first station, which is farthest from the tip of the pliers, has a dimple in the middle and is used to squeeze the crimp into a "figure 8" shape. The second station, which is closest to the tip of the pliers, is used to fold the crimp and form it into a nice, tube shape.

Take the crimp tube and slide it onto one end of the wire and then add a jump ring. Take the end of the wire and go back through the crimp.

Push the crimp up to the jump ring, but don't make it so tight that the jump ring can't move.

While holding the crimp in the first station of the crimping pliers, use your fingers to separate the wires so that they lie on each side of the tube.

Next, squeeze the crimping pliers, bringing the dimple down in between the two wires so that the strands are trapped on opposite sides of the crimp. It is important that you don't have a death grip when you are crimping, because this will weaken the crimp. However, you do want to give it a good squeeze. You should now have a "U" shaped crimp tube.

You will then move the crimp to the second station of the crimping pliers, placing it so that when you squeeze, the two sides of "U" will come together. Give it a nice squeeze. With the nipper tool, cut the excess wire.

You may now string your beads onto your jewelry wire. Once you have done this, crimp the other end of your jewelry wire. Do this by repeating steps 1-6. When crimping this time, you will want to get the crimp close to the beads but not so close that the beads don't have any room to move. Again, cut any excess wire with the nipper tool.